FEATURE:
Spotlight
Lip Filler
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A band with a dedicated following…
and live shows that definitely set them out for greatness, I wanted to spend time with Lip Filler. The five-piece consist of Jude Scholefield, Nate Wicks, George Tucker, Verity Hughes and Theo Pasmore. The band’s eponymous E.P. was released back in May. It is a fantastic release from the extraordinary quintet. I cannot wait to see where they head next. I am going to end with a review from one of their recent shows. Before that, it is worth getting to some interviews. So that we can learn a bit more. Mancunion spoke with Lip Filler earlier in the year. With their lead having the same kind of vocal sound and swagger of Jamie T, I was intrigued from the start. However, the more I learn about the band’s history and dynamic, the more compelled I am to dig deep:
“We recline on backwards-arcing, blood-red chairs in one of Dot to Dot’s many hand-picked venues, as singer/keyboardist George Tucker reflects on their previous show in Bristol with a zealous glow: “Honestly, last night went f*cking smoothly… We actually came off stage with no complaints or issues, it was great. We even said before coming up here, we may as well get pissed beforehand ‘cos we played so well last night.” The mop-haired singer’s disbelief at the lack of on-stage issues speaks wonders about Lip Filler, a band equally inspired by the D.I.Y mentality of punk rock as by the uncontrollable spiralling of The Libertines.
The frontman’s tongue-in-cheek proposal for a day of drinking before the gig is quickly mediated however by guitarist/singer Verity Hughes, seemingly the level-headed one behind Lip Filler’s organised chaos: “Nah, we’re gonna play well tonight. Give the people of Nottingham their due diligence … We’ve checked out the venues here, and it’s nice … I like the street where Black Cherry Lounge is … there’s some nice little venues tucked neatly around there.”
Lip Filler seem happy to be out of their native sphere of the London music scene – a scene which I gather through their insights to be equally suffocating as it is stimulating: “Gigs in London are cliquey as f*ck”, the quiet, but barbarously witty, Nate Wicks (drums) asserts. I, somewhat shamelessly, ask if this is another way of saying that all the bands in London sleep with each other: “Well, we are figuratively in bed with each other.”
In a genre full of pretension and attempted crypticness, it’s refreshing to see a group of indie rockers express a childlike enthusiasm for travelling to new cities (even if it be a Midlands one), and a grateful disbelief at strangers singing along to their tunes. Lip Filler are truly a band in their heyday, with no sign of youthfulness fading: “Well, if it was anything like last night… we’re gonna have fun”, Theo Pasmore, Lip Filler’s shaggy-haired bass extraordinaire, states with a humble confidence.
PHOTO CREDIT: Holly Whitaker
Lip Filler take pride in their D.I.Y approach, not just to their music, but to every aspect of the group’s image and admin: “There was this Instagram ad that we put out when we dropped ‘Haircut’… this video of me and Jude in the kitchen… just, like, pissing about. Really hyperactive, really skitty… I think that got out to a lot of people somehow. […] We just get crazy ideas for ads… I’m confident that we’re more involved with the advertising side of things than most bands are. Every visual aspect of our band… I’m sure most bands are very hands-on with their marketing, but I feel like we must be more involved with it, surely? I’ve edited all the music videos we’ve put out. We’re really full-on about it.” This is echoed succinctly, with a dry self-deprecation, by George’s drummer: “We pride ourselves on our… skits.”
Even though George is undoubtedly the frontman, he’s more than happy to share the stage with his bandmates Jude and Verity. Lip Filler are a band with three singers – think Fleetwood Mac but without the failing marriages. “I respect these guys so much… I used to go to the Straight Faces’ [Jude and Verity’s teenage band] gigs all the time, like, I’d watch their gigs when I was a kid. I love the sounds of these guys’ voices – and with ‘Monster Truck’, I wouldn’t have it any other f*cking way. It’s so great how we bounce off of each other the way we do.”
Jude expands on this democracy: “I think all of our creative decisions are only in the best interest of the track. When you first start playing, I think you’re all in this state where you’re like ‘right, f*ck – this is my part’, like you’ve got to be heard individually. Whereas now we’re all at this stage where we can take a step back.” There’s a competitive element here, but not one between the bandmates themselves: ‘The competition is to find the best idea. In that respect, you’re not competing with anyone” Nate judiciously outlines. There is a genuine affection beneath the bandmates’ interactions, a mutual respect for musical projects both old and new – and, impressively for an indie rock frontman, an eager encouragement towards other bandmates taking the lead on vocals”.
There is a load of buzz and love around Lip Filler. The Indie Scene sat down and spend some time with the band about their new E.P. and where they want to head from here. They are quite new out of the block. I think that what they have produced on their debut E.P. stands them aside for, other bands coming through. Next year will be a big one for them:
“Who or what are your biggest influences?
Always a tough one as it’s a big old melting pot. We each tend to have our own individual influences then some shared ones too — if that makes sense. Nilüfer Yanya, Radiohead, LCD Soundsystem and Blur to name a few.
Congrats on your recently released EP. How long did it take to make and did this include any long, late night studio sessions?
All the instrumental tracks we recorded in more or less two days at Narcissus Studio in West London; we had a good few nights doing vocals and tidying things up with St Francis Hotel at his studio. Never too late though as we’re very sensible kids.
Which song within the EP was the most satisfying to make?
Tough question, you’ll probably get different answers from all of us. Gotta be between Cool and Monster Truck though. Cool because it was the first song we released as a demo and Monster Truck because it was the latest song we’d written at the time. So, even though they’re completely opposite reasons: one because we knew it like the back of our hand and the other because it was super fresh and exciting to work on.
Any festivals you’d like to be on the bill for in the near future?
I mean there’s one festival that starts with G that any band would say at this point. Apart from that I guess any and all really, the fun thing about festivals is being able to cut a tiny little slice of whatever city you’re in, ram it in ya gob then you’re off. That’s the fun bit, exploring the country and making weird memories.
What’s next for you guys? Can’t wait to see what’s on the horizon!
We’re constantly writing, recording, making demos and all that good stuff so I guess we’ll have to see. If we come up with anything good we’ll let you know”.
Ahead of a run of dates that happened earlier in the year, FORM got some insight from the band about how being based out of London affects their sound. Lip Filler were preparing to perform gigs in South, North, West and East London. It was a great way of spreading the gospel of Lip Filler. It is clear that their live shows set them out as future legends:
“Ahead of their first of four headline shows across London this summer, we had a little chat with Chess Club’s latest signees Lip Filler about their inspirations, how their live show compares to Madame Tussaud’s and why they decided to play in each corner of the capital this year.
1. WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE THAT ONE LONDON SHOW WASN’T ENOUGH, AND YOU ABSOLUTELY HAD TO GO ROUND THE COMPASS ON YOUR UPCOMING X4 DATE TOUR OF THE CITY?
In a democratic vote we discovered that the band like the number four more than it likes the number one. We got a bit excited by this and went all out and booked four venues. Later that night right we found a compass, realised it had four points and just laughed in complete disbelief then thanked god
2. YOU’VE TOUCHED ON THE OVERSTIMULATION OF LONDON LIFE IN PREVIOUS INTERVIEWS, HOW WOULD YOU SAY THIS HAS AFFECTED LIP FILLERS’ SOUND?
I mean when you’re all cooped up in the same place together, I think creative processes can maybe become overstimulating too and I feel that’s kind of reflected in the songs we write. Whether it be structurally or just some wack ass noise thrown in randomly, I think Lip Filler wouldn’t be fillin’ if we weren’t overstimulated 24hrs a day, 7 days a week, 4 weeks a month, 12 months a year, 10 years a decade.
3. LIP FILLER IS STILL VERY YOUNG, BUT YOUR TWO RELEASED SINGLES (‘COOL’ AND ‘HAIRCUT’) ARE ALREADY DISTINCTIVE WITH YOUR SOUND. DID YOU HAVE A CLEAR IDEA OF WHAT YOU WANTED LIP FILLER TO SOUND LIKE WHEN FORMING?
Haha, not at all. We don’t even know what we sound like now, let alone when we started. We’re still figuring that one out but the best way to do so is just to continue writing bangers. Bangers. Yeah. Mash. Bang.
4. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE FOR THE BAND?
The future looks bright with a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow; a rider with pineapple juice, a pack of Sauvignon Duals and pre-cooked Richmond sausages. We also got a busy summer so follow us on Instagram and keep an eye out for our festival dates.
5. FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING A LIP FILLER SHOW, WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE EXPECT FROM YOUR UPCOMING LIVE DATES?
Expect: impeccable timing; smiles and fun for a straight 40mins; incredible support acts; George’s frontman-ship; umm pyrotechnics and an all round unforgettable experience comparable to Madame Tussaud’s”.
I am going to finish off now. I know there will be more interviews with the group in 2024. They have had a pretty busy year all in all. Some memorable and killer live sets that have been well received and brought in new fans. On 30th June, from the Shepherd’s Bush flat where the band formed and all live, NME caught they play an intimate gig that was made to sound pretty epic:
“To gain access to Lip Filler’s final date of their Double Decker tour, first you have to meet them in the pub. Fans who have purchased tickets to previous dates of the tour – which encompasses north, south, east and now west London – have been invited to a special secret show in Shepherd’s Bush. When you spot the buzzy, excitable five-piece, they then lead you down the street, into an alleyway, through the store room of a chicken shop and up the back stairs into the flat where they all live and write music together.
Inside, the band treat their humble abode like it’s The O2. A pop-up merch stand (a piece of A4 detailing prices for a few items) is set up in the kitchen, before guitarist Verity Hughes leads NME upstairs to the “cinema room,” which is looping the band’s music videos, tour diaries and more on the TV. “This is the room where we formed,” she tells us, delighting in creating the band’s own folklore at such an early stage.
Across a small number of live shows in the capital and a self-titled debut EP released in May, Lip Filler have developed a reputation as a rowdy, sunny-side-up indie band imbuing their sound and their shows with pure chaos. Inside guitarist Jude Scholefield’s bedroom, they begin their set with ‘Cool’, a track that positions frontman George Tucker as a Jamie T for a new generation, rowdy but thoughtful and always energetic. On ‘Monster Truck’ though, he’s closer to King Krule, sitting on the grubby end of the indie spectrum and letting darkness take over.
PHOTO CREDIT: Richard Mukuze
Across seven songs, including an encore because – miraculously in 2023 – the neighbours haven’t complained yet, drinks are thrown and cigarettes are burned into the carpet in a set of unbridled energy that rarely feels possible in this age. It also helps that Lip Filler want to play way, way bigger venues than this room.
“All the way to the back!” Hughes shouts out of the bedroom and to the cluster of people watching from the landing to encourage a singalong on ‘Monster Truck’, like she’s on the Pyramid Stage. “We’ve been very extra,” a sweaty Jude tells NME with a smile on the back stairs after the show. “We got a smoke machine and a strobe light!”
In August, Lip Filler will move out of the flat that birthed them and disperse across London. With new music coming, this show, which serves as the end of their first era, is a tantalising glimpse into their ambitions for the future”.
A debut E.P. and a growing reputation means that Lip Filler are going to among the groups tipped for big things in 2024. They have already provided their live chops. With songs that are perfect to get crowds going but are also primed for some of the best radio stations around, there is no telling how far they can go! If you do not know about Lip Filler, then do make sure that you check them out now. Next year is going to be one where the five-piece transition…
TO the next level.
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